Structured Complexity
by rache14
Summary: Charlie wonders about Larry's behavior. Larry reconnects with someone.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is my first story ever. I hope it's decent, as it is un-beta'd. Please let me know what you think. **

**Disclaimer: It's quite clear that I do not own _Numb3rs_ or anything/one associated. Blah, blah, blah.**

"Well, Charles, I think my work here is done then," Professor Fleinhardt said, heading towards the door of the office.

Professor Eppes spoke, "Actually, Larry, I was hoping you could stick around..."

He trailed off as he lifted his head to find himself alone in the room.

_Odd_, he mused.

"What's odd," asked a very familiar female voice. Evidently, he had voiced his thoughts.

He accepted the kiss she offered in greeting and explained, "Larry - he seemed to be in quite a hurry to leave the office. Not to mention his obvious distraction earlier."

"He probably just had somewhere to be," Amita proposed. "You know Larry - always up to something."

Meanwhile, the subject of the prior conversation had arrived at his destination - a small apartment complex.  
>It was not the first time he'd been there, and most certainly wouldn't be the last.<p>

He knocked on the door and had to smile at the sight that greeted him. The honey blonde hair framed the woman's face beautifully.  
>His smile was reflected on her face, reaching all the way into her emerald eyes.<p>

"Hey Larry," she said.

He released his greeting as a happy sigh, "Megan."

* * *

><p><em>Proffesor Fleinhardt had been working in his office when his cell phone rang. He was a bit confused at first, as he hardly remembered such a possesion. He still hated using the thing. Don, though, had insisted that he keep it because the FBI's need for his assistance had not subsided.<em>

_"Larry Fleinhardt speaking," he answered, not reconizing the incoming number._

_"Oh, good! I wasn't sure that I could still reach you at this number," the caller supplied._

_He knew this voice by heart. The woman it belonged to had in fact been the holder of said organ - metaphoriacally, of course._  
><em>To say that he was shocked would have been an understatement. It was a few moments before he found his voice again, albeit very quiet.<em>

_"Ah, my love."_

_This elicited a giggle. "Yes, it's me. How've you been, Larry?"_

_"I've been well, dear, busy working with Charles - and Don, of course. Altough I must say, I do find that I miss you terribly."_

_"And I you. I have some good news, though."_

* * *

><p>After a warm hug at the door, Larry had been ushered in and the pair settled together on the couch. They talked for hours, trading their stories and catching up. As she'd explained over the phone, she was back in California - for good. She swore she could hear him smile when she'd revealed it. Despite all the lost time between them, neither felt as if they didn't know the other. One would never guess they'd ever been separated by the looks of them now.<p>

Eventually, they found themselves in quite a comfortable arrangement, she cuddled into his side, he with his arms around her,  
>her head rested upon his shoulder. The couple put on a movie of Megan's choice, <em>Blazing Saddles<em>, one which came as no surprise to Larry, as he knew it to be a favorite.

About halfway through the film, Larry was growing rather tired and noticed that he wasn't the only one, as his counterpart could hardly keep her eyes open. He whispered, "Sleep well, sweet one," and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She smiled, snuggling closer, and soon both fell victims to the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN**: First off, I have to say that I am so ashamed at the amount of mistakes in my first chapter. I was just so excited to post my first story,  
>that I didn't spend as much time reviewing it as I should have. Also, I blame Notepad, which doesn't have spell-check. Otherwise, I definitely would've found my errors.<p>

Second, I'd like to thank everyone (all three of you) for the kind reviews. It really means a lot. I'm so glad it was received well. Now, please enjoy the second chapter.

* * *

><p>Megan awoke to what she would argue was the best feeling in the world - wrapped in the arms of one Larry Fleinhardt. She rolled herself over so that she now rested atop him. She reached up a hand to caress his face, then placed a sweet kiss to his lips. His eyes opened slowly and a smile spread across both their faces.<p>

"Good morning," she greeted, her soft breath hitting his face.

In much the same way that she had done to him, he raised his hand to her face to give a light caress, then tucked a strand of the hair that was tickling his face behind her ear. He was pleased to notice that she had grown it out again. He'd always loved the long locks.

"Morning," was his response, before returning her earlier kiss.

She pulled herself off the couch - and therefore, Larry - offering a hand to him in the process. He gratefully accepted and allowed her to help him up.

"Well, Professor, I suppose you should clean up before heading to class," she said.

"Oh, oh, yes, of course." He glanced at his watch.

"You've got plenty of time. Go ahead and use the tub," she smirked, knowing he couldn't resist.

* * *

><p>After his class, Larry returned to his office. He was soon no longer alone as he noticed Charlie arrive with Amita.<p>

"Ah, Charles, Amita," he spoke.

"Hey, Larry," they chorused.

Before Larry had the chance to utter another word, Charlie began again, almost hesitantly.

"Say, Larry..."

"Hmm... Yes, Charles," the Physicist asked, looking up.

His protege continued, "Well, it's just... Amita and I were wondering - "

"Mostly Charlie," Amita cut in.

"...wondering if there was something going on - you know, with you."

Larry put on a slightly puzzled expression. "I'm afraid I don't know at all what you mean."

"Charlie seems to think you've been a little, absent, lately. I told him he's probably just reading too much into it."

The older professor gave a sort of scoff. "Well, I can assure you that I am most certainly present here." He made a slight gesture with his hands.

"Yes, but - " Charlie's cell phone rang before he could manage another word. He let go of an exasperated sigh, but answered anyway, knowing exactly who it was. "Hey, Don. What's up?"

Larry also released a sigh, though internally. Charlie was now ending the conversation with his brother.

"Well, I've got to go. Don needs me."

"Oh, I should be heading to class." Amita said, turning her gaze to the clock on the wall.

They bid Larry farewell and then left the office.

* * *

><p>As the pair headed down the hallway, Charlie asked, "Do you see what I mean now?"<p>

"I suppose he did seem a bit odd - for Larry, anyway," his girlfriend admitted.

"I just can't fathom what he could be keeping from us. We're his best friends. What reason could he possibly have to hide something?"

"I'm sure he'll tell us when he's ready. I do have my suspicions, though."

They stopped walking, having arrived at Amita's class. "No, Charlie. He obviously doesn't want us in his business," she added, at Charlie's pleading look.

She gave him a kiss and a peppy goodbye as she entered the room, leaving him slightly annoyed before he left to see his brother.

* * *

><p><strong>AN 2<strong>: Hmm... Amita has a guess. What could it be? And will she be right?  
>I hope I'm still doing okay, without a beta. If anyone wants to volunteer...<br>And at this point, it's still anybody's guess as to how many chapters are to come.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN**: FYI, Nikki's not going to be present in this story because I'm not her biggest fan and really don't want to try writing for her. Let's pretend Liz filled Megan's spot on the team instead. Robin, who I'm a much bigger fan of, however, will be making an appearance, eventually.

On another note, I'm not really satisfied with the first part of this chapter, but much like Don and co., I don't speak math. Which is why there are no actual mathematical - or case, for that matter - details. Sorry it's so short!

Originally, I had planned for Megan to visit Larry in his office, but I felt that now should instead be the time for Amita to find out, especially since I mentioned last chapter that she had a guess.

* * *

><p>Upon his arrival at the FBI, Charlie was led to the conference room by his brother. Already seated in the room were agents Colby Granger, David Sinclair,<br>and Liz Warner. After an exchange of greetings, a brief overview of the case was given by Don, for Charlie's benefit. The mathematician set right to work. He scrawled out numbers and letters which seemed meaningless to the others in the room, onto the glass walls.

"So the English translation would be..." Liz had asked, becoming slightly impatient.

The math professor chuckled at that and explained using an analogy he knew would be more understandable to the agents. How he was able to relate math to everything else in the world, they weren't sure they'd ever understand.

About an hour and a half later, the team was able to pursue a new lead, thanks to Charlie's equation - though not without several moments of confusion and a few jokes, particularly from the youngest agent.

* * *

><p>Back at Cal Sci, a certain professor of Physics was fumbling about in his office, trying to determine where he had left what he was looking for. First though, he had to remember what exactly that was again.<p>

"Ah, the _organized_ mess of Professor Fleinhardt," came a voice from the door.

The aforementioned professor jumped, then turned around, a hand to his heart, to find the girlfriend of his former student.

"Sorry, Larry. I didn't mean to startle you," she apologized.

He shook his head. "Oh, it's quite all right," he assured her. "I just can't seem to remember what I was looking for. I'm afraid I was too caught up in my own thoughts."

Amita had to smile at that.

"Keys!" he exclaimed suddenly, throwing his hands up.

A chuckle from the brunette. "What?"

"Keys... I was trying to locate my keys," he explained.

She offered to help and the two began to search high and low, leaving no stone unturned. Amita eventually wandered over to a wall, against which sat a medium sized bookshelf. She ran her hand along the shelves with no luck. She moved her gaze to the top of the shelf and it was then that she saw them - the keys and something more. A bouquet of white flowers - tuberoses, she quickly realized - sat just to the right of the keys.

"Larry..."

He stopped his searching and looked up when she didn't continue.

"You've found them," he asked hopefully.

"Yes, here." She tossed the offending objects in his direction.

He released a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank heavens." Then he noticed the look on her face. "I'm sensing there is something else..."

"Would these have anything to do with your recent behavior?" She gestured towards the flowers.

Larry blushed and put a hand to his forehead, then pulled at his earlobe. "Oh, dear." He knew when he'd been caught.

"I knew there had to be a woman behind it," she said. "It's Megan, right? You're seeing her again." The last was a statement, not a question.

"Well, yes..."

"Larry, that's great!" she exclaimed.

"It is, isn't it?" He sank down in his chair.

"Why would you keep such a thing a secret though?" She appeared to be deep in thought. "Wait a minute - Megan is back then, in California?"

"Yes," he sighed, their secret having been revealed.

"Larry," she posed his name as a question.

"Amita, you remember when I first came back to Earth, after those six months in space," he started.

"Of course," she said, unsure of what it had to do with the issue at hand.

"Then you remember how I needed some time to myself, to readjust to life here," he continued.

"Ah, I think I see."

"Megan is experiencing much the same feelings and would appreciate some time alone," he finished.

"Not truly alone though, huh?" She didn't attempt to hide her smirk.

"Point, Amita. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got somewhere to be." He started to head out of the office.

"Don't tell me after all that, you're really forgetting these," she teased, holding up the bouquet.

"Ah, yes, of course..." he hesitated. "Uh, Amita, I must ask that you not let anyone know what you've learned, particularly your beau."

"I won't tell a soul, Larry - I promise."

He thanked her and was once again off to see the object of his affections.

* * *

><p><strong>AN 2<strong>: Well, that's chapter three. Larry seems to have a nice relationship with his office, doesn't he? I'm fairly certain this will be the last chapter which contains a scene there. You're welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN**: I'd like to thank you guys for sticking with me and my little story here. This chapter was not easy to get started. My muse decided to abandon me for a while there.  
>Also, real life can be pretty exhausting. I was feeling rather drained and not up to writing anyway. But, I'm back now. Enjoy!<p>

* * *

><p>Larry arrived at the YMCA with a few minutes to spare. Megan's Krav Maga class would be letting out soon. He leaned against his car and waited. It wasn't much of a wait, as he soon saw her exit the building. She smiled instantly when she saw him, and walked over.<p>

"Hello, love." He presented her with the flowers.

Her smile only brightened. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned in for a kiss. "You're too sweet, you know that?"

He chuckled lightly against her lips. "Mm, yes, I believe you have mentioned that a few times."

"Well, it'll never stop being true." She gazed at him lovingly. He blushed and ducked his head, opening the door for her.

They were headed back to Megan's place to prepare for their date. It'd been far too long since the two had shared a romantic dinner. A nice evening out was on the top of Megan's to-do list, which of course meant that it was a priority for Larry. The decision was unanimous; they'd be enjoying Ethiopian tonight.

* * *

><p>After dinner, the couple had changed into more casual clothes and gone to the park. They spread out a blanket on the grass and engaged in one of Larry's favorite pastimes - stargazing. She could listen to him go on about the cosmos for an endless amount of time. Even when he became so engrossed in his own mind about it all, just watching him was amazing. She adored the sight of him completely absorbed in the subject he so dearly loved. For Megan, this was certainly more romantic than any dinner. Larry loved to share his mind's passion with his heart's passion.<p>

Silence fell between the pair as they sat staring up into the sky. Their hands rested mere centimeters apart, and Megan closed the distance by intertwining their fingers. She then pulled their joined hands up and kissed his. He looked over and she spoke, a wide smile on her face. "I love you, Larry."

A smile to match hers quickly spread across his face and he returned her sentiment. "I love you too, Megan."

Heads turned and lips met for a kiss that was as long as it was sweet. Megan then situated herself in front of Larry and snuggled back into his chest. His arms came around to hug her to him. Contented sighs were released simultaneously.

* * *

><p>At the Eppes house, another dinner was taking place. Present tonight were all three of the Eppes men and Amita. Not surprisingly, Larry had once again been brought up for discussion - by Charlie, of course. Alan and Don groaned, as they had been forced to listen to the other two arguing for about twenty minutes already. Amita gave him a pointed look, but he refused to relent. "What? I shouldn't be worried about a friend?"<p>

"There's a fine line between worry and obsession," Alan told his younger son.

"I'm not obsessing, just curious."

Don rolled his eyes. "You know what they say about curiosity..."

"Lucky for you all, I'm not a cat."

"Oh, yeah, lucky us," Amita put in.

The elder Eppes men smirked, while the younger pouted.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN**: I completely forgot that I was going to have Larry tell Megan about Amita knowing in the last chapter. But, it turned out to be a good mistake because it's now the basis of this chapter. I know it's pretty short, but I didn't want to include "the big reveal" just yet. That'll be up next.

* * *

><p>The morning sun streamed through the bedroom windows. Larry woke alone, but soon noted the aroma from the kitchen, realizing where Megan must be. He rolled out of bed and padded to the kitchen. Sure enough, there she sat, eating a breakfast of eggs and toast. She looked up as he entered. "Hey, you," she gave a soft smile. "I hope you don't mind my not waking you. You just looked so peaceful."<p>

"Oh, no, not at all." He came around to sit across from her. "Listen, there is something I need to discuss with you."

"Yeah? What's that," she asked, just a hint of worry in her voice.

"I'm afraid we've been found out," he stated with a slight frown.

"What do you mean," she questioned.

"Amita; she noticed the flowers in my office yesterday and I'm sorry to say, I was led to confess."

"Oh, Larry," she soothed, as she covered his hands with hers. "It's all right. It had to happen sooner or later, anyway."

He shrugged. "I suppose..."

"It's not like I can just stay holed up in here for the rest of my life, with you as my only contact." She began to run her thumbs over the hands she held. "As nice as that does sound..." she added as an afterthought.

This provoked a small smile, but he then bowed his head, still feeling bad about the whole ordeal.

"Hey," she said softly, lifting his head with a finger curled under his chin. "You think you've let me down, don't you?"

"Haven't I," he asked with sad eyes.

She took him by surprise when she placed her hands on his face and kissed him deeply. "No," she said, matter-of-factly. "You have to understand, I love you too much to be bothered by such a little thing, especially when you're not even to blame. Okay?"

He nodded and brought a hand to his face, to cover the one of hers that still remained there. "Of course."

"Good," she said. "Now, eat." A forkful of fried egg was placed into his mouth.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, someone else was waking alone - this time, a combinatorics expert - in a house she more or less shared with her boyfriend and his father. Said boyfriend was most likely currently located in the garage, working on some theory or another. As predicted, that is indeed where Amita found Charlie. "What's up," she asked, coming up behind him.<p>

"Hey. I'm just working on something for class on Monday," he explained, turning to face her.

She glanced at the chalkboard he had been writing on. "Oh, that's Professor Eppes; always hard at work. Have you eaten anything yet?"

"Well, no..." he started. The look she gave him told him that he was done here for the time being.

"C'mon." She took hold of his hand and pulled him through to the kitchen. As they entered, they heard Alan ending a conversation with someone over the phone.

"Hey, just the two I wanted to see. That was Larry," he said, gesturing towards the phone he'd just hung up. "He asked to come by tonight, said he had some news."

"Perhaps the veil of mystery is finally being lifted, then," Charlie spoke.

Amita smiled slightly. "Did he happen to mention what kind of news?"

Shaking his head, Alan replied, "All I could get out of him was that it would be good. But good by whose standards, I wonder." He looked somewhat baffled and shrugged his shoulders.

Laughing softly, Amita said, "Oh, don't worry, Alan. I'm sure you'll appreciate Larry's news." Now it was Charlie's turn to look confused. "Whatever it may be," she quickly added, feigning innocence.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN**: Secret's out. More of this meeting is to come next chapter, and probably one at the FBI.

* * *

><p>A couple hours had passed since Larry had phoned. In that time, the sole member of the Eppes family not residing at the Craftsman had come over. He had quickly made himself at home, stretching across the sofa with a beer, turning on whatever game he could find. The owner of the house was currently engaged in a battle of wits with his girlfriend, across a chess board. Alan, who'd just finished up in the kitchen, entered the room, taking his usual chair and picking up the latest crossword puzzle. Such was the scene when there came a knock at the door about twenty minutes later. Amita's eyes immediately focused on the wood. "Ah, that must be Larry," Alan spoke. "I'll get it."<p>

* * *

><p><em>Megan was growing more and more excited. She'd really missed spending time with her former boss and his family. On her first night out with Larry, she remembered telling him that the FBI had given her the greatest sense of equilibrium she'd ever felt. Well, she could certainly say the same about Alan and his boys. Unlike her own family, she'd always felt so at home and accepted with them. As far as she was concerned, any time spent away from this group was too long. She and Larry were now on their way over to the house.<em>

_Noticing her excitement, Larry had to laugh. "I must say, I don't know that I've ever seen you so eager to see Charles."_

_She hit him playfully on the shoulder and smirked. "What can I say? I've learned to enjoy the company of rambling professors." She then added, in a more serious manner, "Plus, it's been way too long. These guys are like family to me."_

_By now, they had reached their destination. Larry reached over and rubbed his lover's knee. "Yes, I know. To me as well." Megan's hand patted Larry's for a brief moment before the two shared a look that said each of them was ready. As was customary, Larry was out and opening Megan's door in no time. After helping her out of the vehicle, they began the very short journey up the front walk, hand in hand._

* * *

><p>As expected, the door of the Eppes home was opened to reveal Larry Fleinhardt. What Alan noticed next though, surprised him quite a bit. Standing beside the Physics professor, her hand in his, was a woman he was once sure he'd seen the last of. He was stunned into silence for a few seconds before exclaiming, "Megan!" and drawing her forward into his arms.<p>

"Alan, it's so good to see you," was her response, accompanied by a warm smile and a gentle laugh, as she returned the hug.

"Oh, one might say the same about you, my dear," he said, taking another good look at her. "Just as lovely as ever, I see." Megan began to blush. "Well, come on in, you two," he urged, standing back. Megan was followed inside by Larry, who had been silently watching the exchange with a smile, not the least bit upset about being virtually ignored.

As they entered the house, Don was the first to notice the new visitors. He sat up abruptly, shocked at the sight of his former agent. "Megan," he stated, hardly believing his eyes. She laughed, having just received a similar reaction. He stood and wrapped her in a tight hug.

Amita and Charlie had since seen Megan, shock also evident on one of their faces. The other featured a grin. Charlie also rose and greeted her. Just as Larry had done, Amita sat back and observed the scene with joy. "Hey, it may not be a surprise for you, but you better have a hug for me," Megan teased.

"Of course." Laughing, Amita walked over and threw her arms around the other woman.

The three Eppes men donned similar looks of confusion. Charlie looked to Amita. "What - you knew about this?"

Amita shared a look with Megan. "About that..."


	7. Chapter 7

**AN**: I'M SORRY! I hope no one was eagerly awaiting this. I hit a major road block and I'd had only two lines written for a month. Just got back on track, finally. This is somewhat of a filler chapter. I promise FBI presence in the next!

Also, I'm sure my next update won't come until after the holidays, so I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  
>(Or whatever you may be celebrating.)<p>

* * *

><p>"She knew all along," Charlie questioned. The group of six had settled down in the living room.<p>

"Well, not from the very start, Charles," Larry began from his position on the floor, in front of Megan, who sat on the couch. "She was being kept in the dark, just like the rest of you. Until she found those flowers in my office..."

Megan grinned and loosely draped her arms around Larry's neck from behind. "We were planning to tell you soon, I just needed some time is all."

Don decided to voice the question that had been in his mind for a while now. "Do I need room on my team for another agent?"

"No, no. I'm still counseling in women's prisons, but I had a chance to transfer back to California and I just couldn't pass it up. The company here is too good." Her hands had slipped just beneath her lover's shirt collar and she began to gently rub his chest. The professor blushed vigorously and lightly gripped the woman's forearms, though it did nothing to still her movement.

While the others in the room certainly noticed the couple's antics, they chose not to make any comments. In fact, it appeared the only one to really acknowledge the pair at the moment was Amita, who of course found the action to be very sweet, the goofy smile on her face proving as much. After a beat or two of awkward silence, Alan's voice broke through. "Well, seeing as Mr. Free Spirit here doesn't have an actual home, where do you plan on staying, dear?"

"Oh, I'm renting an apartment in my old building again, for now," she explained. "So 'Free Spirit' has got a place to stay," she added, with a smile and a quick tousle of Larry's hair. The eldest Eppes man gave a soft smile of his own in response.

As the night progressed, the six of them eventually sat down to a "family" dinner filled with laughter. Don told of some of the more interesting happenings at the FBI, while Charlie and Amita shared stories of their own, most of which seemed to involve the mishaps of a certain lovable professor of Physics. Megan was bombarded with questions about what had been going on in her life. It was going on ten o'clock when Larry and Megan decided they'd better call it a night.

After they had shared hugs and goodbyes, Alan saw them out. "Well you know Megan, we'd be happy to have to have you over any time. Just don't become a stranger."

"Don't kid yourself, Alan. We all know you're too much of a family man to let that happen," she stated with a slight head shake. "Besides, I'm sure someone will bring me along about ninety percent of the time." She smiled at Larry as she thread her arm through his. The two said one last goodbye to all and then headed to the Model A parked out front.

* * *

><p>Shortly after arriving back at the apartment, Larry drew a bath. Knowing all too well just how long he'd spend in the water, Megan decided she might as well sit in. He was hesitant to agree at first, but was quickly won over with a little persuasion. If there was one thing better than spending his time in the bathtub alone, this would be it. And that is how they ended up as they were - she settled back against his chest, elbows resting upon his knees, as he'd drawn up his legs. Not much was spoken, which came as no surprise to Megan. The man was quite contemplative. Her head dipped back, coming to rest on his left shoulder. He jerked slightly as her long hair briefly tickled his bare abdomen. She laughed, gazing up at him. Finally, she spoke. "What's going on in that beautiful mind of yours?"<p>

"Oh, a little of everything and much of nothing at all," he deadpanned, with a shrug of one shoulder. Such a response may have upset someone looking for a straightforward answer, but Megan knew better than to expect one - it was one of the many things she loved about him.

Instead, she smiled and released a soft but amused, "Oh," turning her head a little more into his shoulder. "Anything you'd like to share?"

Once more, he looked pensive. "Well, actually, I was just pondering the M57 Nebula." Her smile remained. "Both of them, in fact..." he added, somewhat sheepishly.

The smile on her face turned into a full fledged grin, producing a shy smile from the professor. "You are so unbelievably sweet." She placed a soft kiss to his cheek. "Now, this nebula is going to get ready for bed. You coming?"

"Just a moment," he assured her. She gave a nod and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body, then left the room.

Larry entered the bedroom a moment later, as promised, in much the same fashion. He was very pleased at the sight of his lover's bedtime attire - the red cowgirl pajamas he was so fond of. She stood at the mirror, running a brush through her long honey brown locks. He donned his own clothing, sweat pants and an old CalSci t-shirt - the latter having also been worn by his girlfriend several times.

Noting his appreciative look, Megan grinned coyly. "Thought you might like these." His only response was a nod, accompanied by a smile of his own, making the woman laugh. She then shut the lights off and the couple slipped into bed. "Goodnight," Megan whispered against Larry's chest.

His arms came around her and he pressed a kiss to her head. "Goodnight, love."


	8. Chapter 8

**I don't know if this story is still holding anyone's interest, but I'm trying to keep it going. At first I was simply procrastinating, but then everything in my life went to hell and I was just so tired. First, I lost my beloved dog, which really took a lot out of me. Then, for a whole week straight, I consistently felt like shit in every way possible. But, I'm mostly feeling better now, so I'm finally writing again.**

**On a different note, I'm not quite sure how I feel about this chapter. I can only hope I've written everyone at least mostly in character. I would really appreciate some honest feedback on that.**

_Strange_. It was the only word Megan could think of to describe how she currently felt. On one hand, it seemed as though she'd been away for a lifetime. But on the other, it was almost as if she was just heading in for another day of work, as if nothing had ever changed. Stepping from the elevator with her quirky physicist-slash-lover in tow, the former agent was instantly flooded with memories of her time spent within the surrounding walls. Admittedly, she did find herself missing the job occasionally, but knew in her heart that she'd made the right decision in leaving.

A hand on her shoulder and a voice from behind brought her out of the daze. "Are you alright?"

She smiled affectionately, turning slightly. "I'm good, Larry. Just sort of... reminiscing." He gave a look of clear understanding before returning the smile. "C'mon." They walked together through the bullpen, toward the cluster of cubicles she once considered to be her home away from home.

The boss, who sat quietly working at his desk, looked up as they approached. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hey, yourself. Where're the guys?"

Don smirked. "Oh, you're tired of me already, huh?" They shared a playful smile. "Colby's out," glancing at his watch, he added, "should be back soon." He was prevented from any further explanation as agents Sinclair and Warner walked in, stopping short at the sight before them.

"Well, I'll be damned..." The dark man grinned widely, revealing bright teeth which greatly contrasted his skin.

"Hey, David, Liz." Megan smiled and nodded to each, respectively, awaiting further reaction.

David advanced and the woman found herself wrapped in his arms. After a beat or two, Liz finally spoke, then. "Okay, quit hogging the lady. I want in." The four others chuckled and Megan was released only to once again be enveloped in a hug. As the two women pulled apart, the questioning started. "So, what brings you back here?"

"I had the chance to move back, so I took it. I missed it here, missed you guys."

"One of us especially so, I bet," Liz teased, indicating the smaller man who had been standing by quietly.

David smiled and laughed lightly. "I guess it didn't take you two long to get back together."

The professor broke his silence. "Well, as I see it, we were really only physically distant. You see, I believe that our hearts and souls will always be connected." Megan beamed at him. Had they been in a more private setting, she'd have let him know just what she thought about that right then and there.

"That's great. Honestly, I'm happy for the both of you, but I gotta say, I dread the moment Colby finds out." He let out a low whistle, shaking his head.

As if awaiting a cue from his partner, the other agent appeared. "I'm gone for twenty minutes and there's a party at the boss' desk?" Upon approaching, he noticed the former agent.

"Oh, it was nothing personal," she jested.

'Reeves' was all he said as he grinned and pulled her forward into his embrace - an action she was becoming all too familiar with, though she expected no less.

"Granger," she laughed.

"Are you passing through or staying?" he asked, drawing back.

"Just visiting _here_, but moving back to L.A.," she explained, indicating the building with the emphasized word.

He nodded, then wasted no time moving on. "So, you two are at it again, huh?" he asked with a smirk, gesturing between her and the physicist. Megan rolled her eyes and groaned, burying her face in Larry's shoulder.

Don couldn't help but laugh as he muttered, "Here we go."

"You have got to let it go already," Liz pleaded.

"I'd drink to that," David put in.

The man's words seemed to spark Megan's interest, her head lifting and a smile forming on her face. "Actually, that sounds like a great idea. What do you say, guys - drinks after work?" Not a single word of disagreement was heard.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Can we say, "filler chapter?"

**I cannot stress enough how sorry I am that this is all I have to offer after almost two months. I honestly wanted to make this a lot longer, but I've currently got a severe case of writer's block and I have no idea what I'm doing with this anymore. But, I swear, I will not leave this story unfinished.

**Chapter 9:**

Larry couldn't help but feel out of his element. In fact, that was probably an understatement. The professor stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the midevening crowd. He was not typically a very social man and was especially not one to be found in a bar. But that's exactly where he was now, with five others, in a corner booth. The conversation was kept fairly light, straying from work as much as possible. Topics such as life and love were discussed, not without a little teasing thrown in. This was meant to be a time to simply enjoy each other's company, and so they did just that.

The arrival of a new hour brought with it a new guest - one Robin Brooks. She'd been invited via text by Don, while still at work. Her reply had been that she would gladly join them as soon as she was able to get away. Don was the first to notice her, as most everyone else was facing the opposite direction or preoccupied. He gave her a smile and greeted her, drawing everyone else's attention. She offered a greeting, complete with a smile of her own, to the whole table, before squeezing in next to the man. When she next spoke, it was directed at Megan. "Hey, I heard you were back. It's good to see you again."

Acknowledging the comment with a slight nod, the honey blonde smiled in return. "You too. It's great to be back." Again, there was an easy flow of conversation amongst the group. Colby suggested buying another round, noting that the bottles on the table all appeared to be somewhere near empty. More drinks were ordered, adding to Don's tab. This was the third round and would be the last. Only two out of seven weren't consuming any alcohol. One wasn't much of a drinker anyways and the other needed to use the night preparing for an early court appearance the next day. Both would be playing the role of designated driver tonight.

* * *

><p>It was decidedly late when the night out was finally brought to an end. Robin had Don and Colby in her car, ready to drive them to their respective homes. David and Liz had politely declined her offer, agreeing to catch a cab. Larry was headed to his Model A when he was suddenly stopped by a gentle touch to his arm. Turning to his companion, he was surprised at what he saw. Her gaze was turned towards the sky, focused on the stars, marveling at the sight. <em>How's that for irony<em>, he mused.

"Let's take a walk," she suggested. "It's so beautiful out here."

His face took on a troubled look, and for someone such as Megan, it was quite easy to tell what caused the concern. "I don't think -"

"Your car will be fine here." The look of reassurance she gave him still didn't have him convinced.

"Megan..." he tried again.

With a small laugh, she shook her head. Sliding her hand down into his own, she tugged lightly. "C'mon."


	10. Chapter 10

**Well, it's been entirely too long and I know this little bit isn't worth it. However, I just wanted to get something up to let everyone know that I haven't actually abandoned this story. If you're still interested, try to bear with me as I work to get some inspiration back.**

With no real destination in mind, Megan had been perfectly content to stroll on at a leisurely pace, arm in arm with the man beside her. Their journey had begun with brief talk of work - more his than hers, but was coming to an end in comfortable silence. The night sky was quite alluring and the distraction of conversation proved unnecessary. Besides, the both of them were thinkers and always had been. It was not uncommon for the pair to spend nights together, each focused on their own work, drawing inspiration simply from the presence of the other. The connection had come easily and instantly for them.

Just as Megan had assured, the Model A greeted the pair as they once again entered the lot. Ever the gentleman, the professor attended to the door for the agent - a gesture she acknowledged with a soft smile. With a profession such as hers, it was nice to see there was in fact still some decency left in the world. Casting one final glance upwards, she thanked her lucky stars for these people she had come to love so dearly.

* * *

><p>Alan Eppes was delighted to be invited to breakfast the following morning. Though certainly no stranger to family meals, it was typically he who hosted. The two-bedroom apartment, though not as adequate in space as the Craftsman home, was just as welcoming. Of course, this was due largely to the couple which resided there. Larry and Megan felt this was the least they could do for the man who had been family to the both of them for as long as they'd known him. The whole experience brought forth memories of his late wife Margaret, causing his heart to swell with love.<p>

Having been prewarned by Megan that he need not aid the cleaning process, Alan allowed himself to be led away with a cup of coffee. He and Larry chatted amicably in the living room, a plethora of common ground between them. A short while later and Megan joined the two, her own mug in hand. Settling in next to the older man seated on the couch, she smiled easily.

"It's great to see the two of you doing so well." Turning to Megan, he added, "You know, Margaret would've loved you."

Her heart melted in that second and she softly placed her hand on his upper arm. "Oh, Alan..." She wiped away a tear that threatened to fall. "Tell me about her?"


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm terrible with this, I know.**

There was an extra spark in Alan's eye whenever he spoke of his late wife, Megan noticed, though she certainly expected no less. Currently, he was sharing the memory of their second pregnancy and how, for a brief time, Margaret had almost hoped to have a baby girl. Though truthfully, both were simply happy to be able to once again enjoy the blessing of a child. And so, when it was revealed that there would be another son in the Eppes family, there was no disappointment. Only love.

Alan had been the one to suggest the winning name for the boy. Charles. They'd call him Charlie. She'd smiled lovingly and covered his hand with hers.

"I love it."

Don, too, was grateful for his sibling. He just couldn't wait to teach the kid to play sports and do all the things that brothers were supposed to do. It was going to be great, he was sure of it.

As Charlie grew and his genius was realized, it was clear to Don that these things just weren't going to happen. His little brother was _smart_.

* * *

><p>"I doubt you'd be surprised to hear how much the boys fought growing up," Alan says.<p>

Megan laughs, a soft sound. "Hardly."

"Margaret always hated to see that. She knew it was hard on the both of them."

Larry nods. "She spoke often of their troubles when accompanying young Charles to Princeton."

"Hm. I think things eased up considerably after that, but I don't know that I'll ever be able to say they've outgrown it." Alan appeared thoughtful. "If only she were here to see them now, how well they work together."

"I'm sure she'd be proud. They really are great, Alan. "

* * *

><p>It was almost noon when Alan left the apartment. Megan hugged him goodbye and thanked him for visiting and sharing his stories.<p>

Now, she and Larry were back lounging on the sofa, deciding to make a lazy day out of it.

"You know, I think fatherhood for you would be reminiscent of Alan," Megan says.

Larry's hand stills for a moment, where it had been lightly trailing the length of her calf. "Oh? Perhaps there's something you wish to inform me of, my dear?"

She can't help but laugh, shaking her head. "No. I just think that while you'd definitely have a unique way about it, overall you would be the same kind of father he was, and is. The two of you have such gentle, caring souls, it's only natural to assume. And with all the time spent with him, I'm sure you've picked up on a thing or two."

He releases a contented sigh. "Yes, I should think so. However, I do believe at this age, I'm more suited to be a grandfather. "

Again, she laughs. "Well, we could always get a cat."


	12. Note

Hmm... Long time, no write.

Regrettably, this is not a content update, but rather a short message.  
>I thought you all might like to know that I have begun to rewrite this story, adding to, and making some much needed improvements. I'm sure my promises seem quite empty at this point, but I swear I haven't given up.<p>

Also, if any of you are on Tumblr, I have started a Numb3rs blog there, making gifs. (Shameless plug:) It's URL is **epp3sandco**, if you'd like to check it out. Currently, I'm rewatching the show, so maybe it'll spark some inspiration for my writing.

Again, I _am_ sorry.  
>Thanks for reading what little I have presented so far and for your kind reviews.<p> 


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